Life + Style

Antonia Kidman - Formal Fuss

Oct 25 04:56pm

School formal season is upon us, and with it comes all the excitement and expectation reserved for big celebrations.

It's a year-long countdown and teenagers' night of nights. Dresses, shoes, hair and make-up - there's so much to consider. And like so many highly anticipated events, half the fun is getting ready. My formal was almost 20 years ago - and I still remember it well.

It was a thrilling event, and what we would wear, who we were taking and where we would party afterwards occupied our thoughts more than our end of year exams. The dress I wore was inspired by one I'd seen in a magazine, and my ever-obliging mother was given the task of copying it. The dress had a Spanish influence, with rustling black taffeta, a tight bodice, a button-down back and yards of red tulle as a petticoat. I had my hair styled at a local salon but, uncomfortable with the 'do, pulled it out as soon as I arrived home, washed it and did it myself. My boyfriend wore a dinner suit and we arrived courtesy of his blue 1970 Dodge Phoenix. The night was a fun one and the end of a significant year. I think we partied until the early hours. Then, with it all behind us, we felt ready to face our next challenge: the HSC.

The excitement of formals hasn't changed much, but the scale of preparations has stepped up a notch. Even formals in younger years are becoming major events. Georgia Alexander is a Year 10 student at a private girls' school in Sydney who recently attended her formal. 'I had my hair done, my nails painted and I bought a special dress,' she says. Most of the girls in her grade prepared in a similar way. And, interestingly, many weren't fussed about who they would take. 'Not everyone took a date,' she says. 'For me, it was just about having a great night out.'

By Year 12, though, things start to get more serious, and many girls indulge in all kinds of pampering before the big event. Spray tans, pedicures and hair appointments are all common, with girls spending months planning their look. Many even start exercising and dieting so they can show off their toned and fit bodies at formal time.You could be forgiven for thinking formal preparation is similar to the effort a star will put into attending an awards night or premiere. Indeed, many girls are inspired by celebrities for their formal look. Transport is often by limousine, and an invitation to a pre-formal party is almost as sought after as the formal ticket itself.

So the cost begins to add up. With designer dresses, matching shoes, bags, jewellery and make-up, the price tag can easily run into thousands of dollars. For many parents, the effort and expense put into the formal can rival that of a wedding. Yet for a generation brought up on the lives of celebrities, the school formal becomes the pinnacle of their lives up until now - and their chance to really shine. The excitement hasn't changed, but preparations have stepped up.

Formal Fees:

Spray tan	$50
Limousine	$150
Manicure	$30
Pedicure	$60
Hair	$50
Dress	$500+
Shoes	$150

What do you remember most about your formal? Was it a night to remember or one best forgotten?

20 Comments Report Abuse

1. stephi_taney - Oct 26 01:14pm

it all depends on how you plan and how practical you are... my formal is next year, and i wont spend more than 700 in total. find a hairdresser who gives student discounts, find a friend who has connections to a makeup artist and get your makeup done for free. shoes dot have to be expensive, but if they are, make sure they will be ones you can wear on other occaisions. everything can be made affordable if you shop around and plan far enough ahead.

2. aims48 - Oct 26 01:42pm

Goodness me. $700 is about $550 more than me or anyone I knew spent on our formal and that was only 10 years ago. How quickly things change....

3. totalgirl27 - Oct 26 02:11pm

which ones her in the pic of friends?

4. amortonjohn - Oct 26 04:32pm

I don't think my formal would have cost me or my parents more than $100.... Times have changed.... We are in the midst of the new breed of princesses in the making. I can't decide if thats a good thing or not.

5. mrs_westyofoz - Oct 26 04:48pm

I have a small shop in NQ and our school formal gowns start at $100 but its nothing to see girls order gowns in excess of $1000 to obtain just the right look. And thats without accessories

6. mels_legs - Oct 26 05:15pm

I hired my dress which was similar to marie antionette style as I wanted to be a princess or cinderella without the expense. That cost me $150, I paid it, my parents paid $40 for my hair, $80 for the car, I did my makeup because Im a nutrimetics consultant and had just done my makeup training (which is free when you become a consultant) and my shoes cost $50. That was in 2000. Stick to a budget, you can still look glamourous without the high costs if you are smart and plan ahead

7. ozyspark - Oct 26 05:42pm

If girls go to all the effort and money and excitement for their formal., what have they got to look forward to for their wedding??

8. samsinghsham - Oct 26 06:44pm

in reply to ozyspark
sex ?

9. higgins_joy66 - Oct 26 07:32pm

I remember my formal that was almost ten years ago, I save my allowance that my mother gave me every week, then when my formal is coming I withdraw all my savings I paid everything from my gown to my hair and make- up. My mom are very happy, coz she didn't spend a cent. So I think my formal was very memorable.

10. earthredtheatre - Oct 26 07:50pm

I'm sorry to be blunt but this is all consumerist, elitist BULL DUST - so American "Prom Queen". What ever happened to the Australian tradition of having a NATURAL TAN, detoxing and doing each others pedicure, manicure, hair treatment! Designing our own dresses and being creative and real about the experience. I remember my formal, all of us girls spent a week (12 of us) in a beach house on Malua Bay on the south coast of new south wales. None of us had money, but we had passion and creativi